What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger
by cRaZyContradictions
Summary: Post X3 What happens now that Rogue has grown up and left behind her little girl dreams? It will take the arrival of a new Xman to force Logan to admit his feelings... This is my very first story. I can use all the feedback I can get! Thank you so much
1. Interesting start

_EEEE EEEE EEEE EEEE…_

Rogue shot out of bed instantly awake at the incessant and sharp buzzing. She glanced around in a second of momentary panic before recognizing the grating sounds of her alarm clock.

_7:30AM. ARGH. _

With a groan she dropped back to her pillow and groped blindly for the source of her rude awakening. Once silenced she burrowed deeper under the covers and groggily contemplated waking up on time.

_Another 10 minutes won't hurt _she thought. But as the film of sleep slowly lifted, she remembered today was a special day. Her birthday. Her 21st birthday to be exact. She was looking forward to it but at the same time she wasn't sure she was ready for it. She would be an adult. Officially. In the eyes of everyone.

Oh sure, she had matured quite a bit in the last few years – so much more than her classmates that it was hard to relate to them at times. But Rogue also knew that no matter how old she got, she would always be a "kid" in _his_ eyes. That was fine with her. She wouldn't give up their special friendship for anything – even that. But every now and then, when she allowed her imagination free reign, she wondered about how it would be if things were different between them.

Rogue and the Wolverine.

A very unlikely pair.

But in the safety of her room and in the secrecy of her dreams, everything was perfect and the way it should be. It was during one of these dreams that she had just awakened from and she was eager to relive the feelings they stirred in her.

A soft smile played on Rogue's lips as she recalled the contents of her most recent dream. In it she had dreamed Logan had gotten all huffy over the attention she was getting from Bobby and had angrily revealed his true feelings for her. He then proceeded to sweep her into a passionate embrace and kiss her senseless – staking his claim on her for all to see. A giggle escaped her as she realized her tummy was already doing flip flops at the mere thought of such a scene. But that's all it would ever be. Just a scene she would play forever in her head.

Sighing heavily Rogue cautiously cracked one eye open to test the brightness of the room. She was up now and wouldn't likely fall back to sleep. Opening both eyes she tossed the covers off and sat up, wondering what was in store for her today.

Thinking back on the past few years it was hard to imagine having something to celebrate. With Scott, Jean, and the Professor all gone it didn't feel like there was much left to be happy about. It was a terrible time for everyone after that battle – particularly for Logan – but they had all survived and life had moved on. She had taken the cure but her excitement over her ability to touch was tempered by her grief at their astounding loss. Things had changed. Everyone had changed. Including her. Including Bobby.

In hindsight she recognized that taking the cure had been a desperate attempt at keeping Bobby. Even with Logan's admonition ringing in her ears – "This better not be for a boy" – she had swallowed her doubts and fears and taken the needle. But it didn't have the effect she had expected on their relationship. The distance that had slowly started to separate them instead of being bridged, became more pronounced as she was able to interact with other people and a whole new world opened up for her.

She and Bobby had broken up a few short months afterwards. They decided they were more friends now than lovers and were both happy with the bond that was still between them. Besides, Rogue though ruefully and slightly bitterly, she had seen the way his gaze tended to linger longer on Kitty more and more frequently. And she also wasn't surprised to notice that the attraction was reciprocated. Sure they probably would not have acted on it but knowing they wanted to but couldn't because of her, made Rogue feel even worse. Kitty and Bobby had been together now for over a year and they really did make a great couple. While both were very sensitive to Rogue and kept their PDAs to a minimum, it was hard not to notice and envy the obvious love they shared.

Giving herself a mental as well as physical shake, Rogue set herself to making her bed and getting showered. She wanted to look extra special today and had already planned her outfit. She had a lovely new white turtleneck sweater that highlighted the white streaks in her hair and showed off her curves. _Womanly curves _Rogue corrected herself and then grinned at her own silliness. She finished off the outfit with a pair of navy cargos that made her legs look like they went on forever and black boots that gave her an extra 3 inches in height. Today she wanted to be noticed. _Not by anyone in particular_, she silently assured herself. But if there was notice from that direction, who was she to complain?

As she carefully applied her makeup, Rogue studied her reflection in the mirror. With an objective eye, she observed herself and knew she was attractive. Her cheeks had hollowed out and her baby fat had gradually disappeared giving her a more mature profile that she quite liked. She had arranged her hair so that half was pulled back and away from her face. A little dab of lip gloss to bring out her full lips and she was ready!

As she headed towards her bedroom door, Rogue wondered if anyone else would be up to have breakfast with. Mentally reviewing her roster of friends she decided Peter was most likely up as well. But he had stayed up a little late the night before watching a movie on TV. Maybe Warren….

Lost in her thoughts, Rogue swiftly shut the door and spun around …into a brick wall. A warm brick wall with arms that caught her as she stumbled back. Startled she looked down at the hands grasping her and traveled up two slightly worn sleeves tightly encasing matching muscular arms to a pair of lips set in an oh of surprise. Her eyes traveled further up and she found herself staring into the most startling set of eyes she had ever seen. They were a deep red and black and they swirled with energy and fire.

"Are you ok, chere? Remy no' hurt you, no?" The deep and heavily accented voice brought Rogue out of her trance and she stepped back quickly. Embarrassed to be caught staring and equally embarrassed with her clumsiness, she stammered at a loss.

"No, no, Ah'm alright. Ah'm so sorry I bumped into you." Rogue bit her lip as she realized her own southern accent was stronger than usual due to her fluster. She took a deep breath and started again. "Did I hurt you?"

"Hurt by une petite fille? Remy hopes he is tougher than dat." Rogue had to laugh. Whoever he was, he certainly was charming.

"Rogue, you alright?" At the sound of the gruff voice, Rogue's cheeks turned red at being caught smiling up at the new stranger. Logan stepped around and touched her briefly on the shoulder. He roughly pushed in between the two and ran his hands up and down her arms, all the while glaring at the newcomer. After assuring Logan she was fine she turned back again to find herself being studied by a pair of unnerving red eyes.

"I'm Rogue. Are you new here?"

"My name is Remy. Most people know me as Gambit."

"He's a friend of Storm's. Just arrived. I was just showing him which room he can stay in." Logan's curt interruption took Remy by surprise until he noticed the way the Wolverine's hand was still resting on the belle fille's arm and the hostile looks he continued to throw in his direction. "It's down the hall, 4th door on your right".

And with that Logan pulled Rogue quickly away and down the stairs towards the kitchen. "C'mon Rogue, let's get some grub."

Logan's behavior threw Rogue off guard. She wasn't sure what to make of it. It was almost like he was jealous. But that was silly. What was there to be jealous of? She brushed it off and chalked it up to one of his many mood swings. She glanced back at Remy and was taken aback to see he was still watching her with a slight smile on his lips. She smiled back a little uncertainly and was rewarded with a mischievous wink of one fiery eye.

"I will see you around, chere."


	2. Round Two

Rogue let herself be pulled down all the way to the kitchen door. Once inside, Logan still did not relinquish her arm but instead escorted her to the counter where he finally released her to make her bagel and cream cheese breakfast. It was still early enough in the morning that they had the room to themselves. This suited Rogue just fine because it was a few more minutes where she would have Logan to herself.

It wasn't that she didn't enjoy other people's company. She actually found it very entertaining to watch Logan as he bit nearly everyone's head off but her own. It was mainly because she felt most like herself when they were alone.

She contemplated the many reasons why she felt this way and decided it was their comfort level with each other. They did not have to put up fronts or act tough when they were together because they were beyond that. Logan was aware of all the trials she had been through growing up with such an isolating and emotionally crippling mutation. She had never really discussed her past in depth but she knew that every now and then, she would do or react in a way that told him more about her past pain than anything she could have expressed in words. Then there was Liberty Island. To this day she could barely step on to a train without shuddering at the memory of how Magneto had finally captured her. She had yet to completely sort through the jumble of horrifying memories she had inherited from Erik when she had absorbed his powers. And while that was a difficult task in its own right, she had absorbed just as much of the Wolverine's memories to play double the havoc on her sanity. To say she had insight into the pain in his life was an understatement.

The smell of her toasted bagel brought Rogue back to the present and while she slathered a massive amount of cream cheese on – there really is no other way to have a bagel – she turned to Logan with a question in her eyes. "So, what was that about?"

Wolverine growled and either didn't understand her question or chose to ignore it. "Don't know how long he's staying but I don't like the looks of him already. I think you should steer clear of him."

"Oh I don't know, he seemed alright to me." Rogue's eyebrows quirked when Logan shot her an annoyed glance. "What? I barely talked to him and if I know you as well as I think, you probably didn't speak much with him either, hmmmm?" Her question was met with a snort which turned into a look of slight shock when he finally registered her appearance.

Rogue felt her face turn an uncomfortable shade of neon as Logan made a quick appraisal of her from head to toe. "You going to a party or something?"

A little self-consciously Rogue pushed a stray hair behind her ear before replying a little curtly, "Well, yeah, actually Ah am. It's mah birthday." Realizing how she sounded, she took a huge bite from her bagel and tried to act nonchalant.

Logan's eyebrows shot nearly to his hairline – which under other circumstances Rogue would have found quite hilarious as it made him look like he didn't have eyebrows and with his already unique hair, he bore an uncanny resemblance to a treasure troll. Unaware of the turn of her thoughts, Logan looked slightly abashed as he mumbled, "I'm sorry Marie. I forgot." At the sound of her given name, Rogue's stomach experienced its usual titter. Logan was the only person who still called her Marie and it never failed to make her feel special.

"That's alright. It's no big deal really." Although she had come to expect it (Logan had never remembered her birthday before) she was still slightly disappointed that this year was no different. "Kitty and Jubilee are taking me out shopping today to get something to wear tonight."

"What do you girls have planned?"

"Well they won't tell me except to say that this will be the night I turn into a woman." Rogue smiled in anticipation for the night and wondered again for the hundredth time what her friends had in store for her. She was hoping that Kitty's level-headedness would curb any crazy ideas Jubilee might come up with. Still she was looking forward to a night filled with only laughter and fun. Sometimes it felt like they were forever training for their next mission or on their way to investigate more suspicious Friends of Humanity activity.

The FOH had become more active in recent years following the utter destruction of Alcatraz Island and the resulting deaths of so many – mutants and humans alike. It was further proof in their eyes of the instability of mutants and their "powers". They had made it their mission to wage a war against all mutants in an effort to preserve the superiority of their own homo sapien race. This meant that after they had graduated, Bobby, Kitty, Jubilee, Peter, and Rogue had become full members of the X-men. Storm had her hands full running the school as well as leading the X-men and was eager to have them on the team. After all they had proven themselves more than capable on several occasions.

Even Rogue without her mutation was still able to contribute to the team. Storm had insisted she learn to pilot the Blackbird and she was now relied on to transport the team leaving Storm free to prep the other members en route if necessary. She had also become quite the skilled hand to hand fighter thanks to Wolverine who was adamant she learn to fend for herself now that she had been "cured". Hundreds of hours and thousands of bruises later, Rogue was one of the best hand combat fighters on the team. Her body had hardened and her soft nature had given way to an intensity whenever she was in _fight mode _that was almost disturbing to watch. Rogue had learned to shut off her emotions in those chaotic moments and everything faded except what was important for her survival. Her vision took on a new depth and she saw as if in slow motion her opponent's next move. She could predict the line of their swing and after Wolverine's thorough training, knew the deadliest and most effective way to neutralize it. Having absorbed Magneto's ruthlessness and the Wolverine's killer instinct made the transition to hardened fighter that much easier.

"Who says you aren't already a woman?" Rogue's thoughts were interrupted by the mumbled question that she almost didn't hear since Logan had turned his head away when he had spoken.

Before she could reply, Bobby strolled into the kitchen, whistling off-key. "Hey Rogue, Kitty and Jubilee are looking for you. Something about getting an early start because they have a lot planned for today?" He grinned not unsympathetically at Rogue's good-natured groan. He was familiar with Kitty and Jubilee's shopping trips – those girls were always on a mission for something.

"Alright, I guess I better go find them." Rogue pushed herself away from the counter and wiped her hands on her napkin before tossing it into the garbage bin. "I'll see you later, Logan." It was more of a question than a statement and Logan looked like he wanted to say more but decided against it after glancing in Bobby's direction. Moving swiftly, she headed for the front hall where she could already hear the excited chatter of her girl friends.

As she passed by, her ex-boyfriend put out a hand to stop her. "Hey, before I forget – Happy Birthday", he said quietly and turned to give her a warm hug. Rogue ignored the snort of disgust from Logan's direction and affectionately patted Bobby on the cheek.

"Thanks."

"It's your birthday, chere?" At the sound of the now familiar voice, Rogue turned to the door to greet the new arrival. He had removed the brown trench coat he had on earlier and was now lounging in the doorway looking unseemingly sexy for this early in the morning. He had on a pitch black turtleneck that showed off his broad shoulders and muscular chest. The chest that she had walked into and couldn't quite stop staring at. What was wrong with her? She quickly averted her eyes but found herself drawn back to his own unique orbs. "Perhaps Remy can help you celebrate?"

Before she realized what he was up to, Remy had glided up to her – how can a man move so smoothly and silently? – and had hold of her bare hand. After so many years of non-contact, Rogue had an exceptionally sensitive sense of touch and couldn't stop the sharp intake of breath at the feel of Remy's hand. Her heightened awareness to physical contact made her more aware of the feelings behind a person's touch. She could easily distinguish from even the tiniest brush of shoulders if someone was feeling upset, scared, or happy. This Cajun's touch was something she had never experienced before. It was full of sensual promises and strong passion – and strangely, a hint of tenderness. She watched as he slowly raised their joined hands and lightly touched the back of hers to his lips. "Happy Birthday, ma petite."

Several things happened at once that left Rogue completely disoriented. The first thing she registered was the harsh sound of a chair roughly being pushed back as Logan shoved to his feet. "Who the hell do you think you are bub? Get your hands off her!" Remy was determinedly keeping hold of her hand all the while watching the Wolverine's progress across the kitchen towards them. There was a gleam of anticipation in his eyes as they narrowed and Rogue saw a spark within that set the red and black dancing together. She guessed it had something to do with his mutation – that he was powering up for the inevitable confrontation. Suddenly she felt a flash behind her own green eyes and an enormous surge of energy seemed to pulse through her body, igniting her skin so she felt as if she were on fire. At the same time, her mind was assaulted as a torrent of images flooded her consciousness. A narrow street littered with refuse and overflowing with people speaking French. An older gentleman delivering a sharp rebuke to concentrate harder as carelessness leads to mistakes in our trade. A beautiful blonde woman, cold as ice, turning away in disappointment. Rogue shook her head violently to stop the images and looked up to see Remy's eyes widen in shock. She ripped her hand away and jumped back, wrapping her arms protectively around her middle as she continued to stare at the Cajun.

Bobby had the misfortune of being in Wolverine's path and was roughly pushed aside. Not understanding what had just happened and feeling completely thrown off, Rogue spun around in a swirl of chocolate hair to meet Logan – a perfect target for her ire. "What the hell is wrong with you?" she said fiercely. "You have no right ta tell anyone ta get away frahm me! Ahm not a kid anymore. Ah haven't been for a verra long time. Ah think it's time you get that through yoah head." Rogue took a deep breath instantly realizing that despite her anger she meant every word even when she could not up till now admit it even to her own self. "You don't always know what is best for me and Ah do not need your protection any longer. Ah need… I need… I need... more." Rogue trailed off. Her tirade ending in a near whisper.

Spinning on her heels, she forced herself to walk slowly out the door. She would not let them see her cry. She had not cried since that day on the train and she would be damned if she would do it now. She rushed past Jubilee and Kitty in the hall but did not stop even as they called out her name. She ran straight through the front doors of the mansion and took off into the wooded forest that encircled the entire school. She needed to get out. She needed air. She needed to think.

What was happening to her?


	3. All grown up

A/N: Thanks to everyone for their reviews! I love the Remy/Rogue/Logan triangle and I'm going to play it up as much as possible so that you'll always be guessing what will happen next! I had to squeeze a lot of background in the first couple chapters but now I will try to focus a bit more on present feelings…starting with the male point of view. Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I figure I should make a note since it's on nearly every other story posted. I do not own the X-men. I wish I did…

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Rogue had no idea the kind of chaos she was leaving behind as the mansion's front door slammed shut behind her – especially for the one person whom everybody expected not to care.

The loud bang of the door snapped Wolverine out of his frozen state. As the three men in the kitchen turned from the direction which Rogue had flown, two sets of eyes came to rest instead on the cause of her distress. Logan met those eyes defiantly, snarled and stalked from the room, intent on following Rogue.

As the mansion's door slammed shut for the second time that morning, Bobby turned to the stranger with a puzzled look on his face. "Looks like you just made a friend," he commented wryly.

He took in the new face with interest. There weren't many people who could ruffle Wolverine's feathers but this stranger seemed to have a knack. There was something dark about this man that made him tense up. Or maybe it was the slight pang of jealousy he had felt while watching him kiss Rogue's hand. It was crazy but he still cared for Rogue even though things did not work out for them in the end. He was certain a lot of their problems had to do with Wolverine and Rogue's idolization of him. It had certainly gotten under Bobby's skin… the way this man was getting under Wolverine's skin. _There was such a thing as karma after all,_ Bobby thought evilly.

The man was good looking to be sure (Bobby was secure enough to admit it to himself). He was tall and muscular. Not in the way he himself was but more lithe and sinewy, almost catlike. His chiseled cheeks gave him a harsh profile that could have been described as gaunt, as if he was haunted. Or it could have been his eyes that gave off the impression.

As the stranger turned to meet his stare, Bobby amended his last observation. The man's eyes may have seemed haunted a few minutes ago but now they glowed with an intensity that took Bobby by surprise. Immediately, the look was hooded and the stranger smoothly held out his hand. "Gambit be da name. New to da X-men. What say y' tell Gambit what he be missing 'bout d'ose two…?"

XXXXX

Logan sniffed carefully, his eyes squinting in concentration. He caught a trace of Rogue's scent and started off in her direction.

As he picked his way through the wooded ground, he contemplated what he would say when he found her. She was right – he really had no right to act the way he did. She wasn't the same lost little girl he had discovered stowed away in his trailer so many years ago. She was a woman now.

It was a realization that he had noted when he had returned to the school for the last time nearly a year ago. After Jean's death he had left the mansion and had traveled wherever the wind blew.

No destination.

No thought.

Just the driving need to erase the burning in his chest where his heart had been. He needed to forgive himself for his part in her death and come to terms with her loss. Two long years later, he had decided it was time to come home and get on with his life. When he started thinking of the mansion as _home_ or the X-men as family, he couldn't say. What he did know was that it was thoughts of Marie and how she needed him to protect her that had brought him back to life and saved him from nearly killing himself as he battled with his guilt.

Logan thought back to that day…

_Walking up the front steps of the school for the first time in years, he half expected the door to fling open and for Marie to be there with her usual shy smile and greeting. Instead it was unusually quiet and he let himself in cautiously, watching intently for students. As he paused in the hall to reacquaint himself with his surroundings, a soft "hi" caught his attention and he glanced up the staircase. _

_He recognized the voice immediately but as he turned, the grin on his face froze and the air left his lungs in a whoosh. The woman in front of him was not the same girl he had left. Rogue. Marie. She swept gracefully down the last steps and closed the distance between them. She had dressed for the warm weather in a light tank top and jean skirt and the sight of so much unexpected skin was playing havoc with his senses. She stopped a foot away and stood there, unsure of what to do next. It was this uncertainty and the evidence of the white streaks in her hair that reminded Logan this was still Marie and he had swept her into a tight hug. _

Since that day, Logan had struggled constantly with a mix of confusing feelings. Most of the times it was easy for him. They fell back into their regular routine of teasing and brotherly camaraderie they had always known. But when he wasn't careful, he would catch himself watching her with anything but fraternal interest. She had become so important to him. More important than he was willing to admit. She was the anchor for his sanity. His reason for being strong and involved in life. She was the only thing that kept him from despairing that his life was meaningless. Her nearness also tended to raise the temperature in his blood to boiling and remind him that he was alive and no matter how much he tried, he could not ignore forever the primal instinct that drove him to seek her companionship and the driving need to claim her as his own.

It was in these moments of pure insanity that Logan was sure something within him had snapped and he was perhaps imbalanced. _Maybe it had started with Jean's death_, he mused. But he knew even before he had met Jean, he had already developed a unique bond with Marie that he could not explain or deny.

Their relationship had started innocently enough. She had needed a protector. He was born to protect. They fit a niche in each other's lives perfectly. Which is why he had to ignore these improper thoughts and feelings that swept through him in his unguarded moments.

Which is why he had no right to the wholly unexpected – and unwelcome – rage he had felt while watching the damn Cajun flirt with his girl.

His girl.

Logan stopped short in his tracks as he realized where his thoughts were leading. _No! This train of thought could only lead to disaster_, he silently berated himself. A relationship between them could never work out. She was too pure. "And young!" Logan muttered out loud. It was a disaster in the making and he would be the biggest fool to think otherwise.

A slight noise ahead brought Logan to full alert and he realized he was quite close to his quarry. Even deep in thought, he had instinctually followed her scent with complete certainty. He would know her smell anywhere.

As Logan approached a small clearing, his ears picked up tiny sounds only detectable to his heightened senses. He knew she was agitated as she was pacing back and forth. But the tempo was deliberate and even – which indicated she was no longer as upset as she had been when she had stormed out. He sniffed delicately and noted traces of saltiness in the air. So she had shed tears earlier but had since stopped.

Purposely stepping on a branch, Logan made his presence known. _No need to add scaring her to death to the list of grievances she already has_, he thought. Though Rogue had her back towards him, he noted an immediate stiffening as she became aware of his approach.

"Y'here to tell me something else ah can't do?" Rogue turned and met his eyes straight on. Even from this distance, Logan could see the anger within. "Why do y'suppose y'think this is your right?"

"Look, Marie, I'm sorry, ok? I know I have no right to force you to do anything. You're right. You are a grown woman. Today may be your 21st birthday but both you and I know you grew up a long time ago."

"Yeah, ah did." Her anger had disappeared with his apology. In truth, it had disappeared long before as she had paced back and forth in the woods, trying to understand what had occurred when Remy had touched her and trying to understand her anger at Logan. She had at least come to terms with the latter problem.

"Logan, ahm sorry too." Rogue took a deep breath. She knew her thickening accent was an obvious indicator of her agitation and more than anyone, Logan would pick up on it. "I shouldn't have snapped at you. I guess I was caught off guard too."

"Listen," Rogue continued, "I know you're only looking out for me. I mean that's what any good friend would do, right?" She paused as she gathered the strength to push out the next words. "You have been more than patient with me all these years with this silly little girl's crush. I think it's time I put that behind us and grow up on that front as well." She looked down and nervously pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "I just wanted you to know that I'm over that now. I'm sorry if it ever made you feel uncomfortable. I guess I realized today that it really was nothing more than a schoolgirl's crush and I need to let it go."

Logan studied Marie as she continued to concentrate on the tip of her boot as if it was the most interesting thing in the world. She was over her crush. She no longer thought of him that way. Logan wasn't sure how to take the news now that she had put it out into the open and just as quickly snatched it away. _I'm relieved. _Logan assured himself. _Of course I'm relieved. This is what I wanted anyways._ Even as he repeated like a mantra in his head, he couldn't seem to ignore the hollow in his chest that had opened up with her declaration. _It's nothing,_ he told himself. _Liar_, a more distant voice in his head sounded. He ignored this and spoke aloud instead. "Well I guess we understand each other then."

"Yes, we do." Rogue finally looked up and smiled. She was caught in a ray of sunlight as the clouds shifted and Logan couldn't help but appreciate the sight she made. She was a contradiction if ever he saw one. Soft and hard. Needy and independent. Vulnerable and impenetrable. So damn alluring yet completely untouchable. To him at least.

"I better get back. Kitty and Jubilee will be wondering where I am." As Rogue moved to walk past him, she suddenly turned back and threw her arms around Logan's neck in a fierce hug. "Thanks for not letting this make it weird between us. And thanks for being my friend."

Logan wrapped his arms around her back and squeezed his eyes shut as he reveled in the feel of her body pressed against his. _Just let me have this moment and I will be ok with the rest, _he thought. Her frame moulded against his perfectly. Her head fit onto his shoulder just right. Her arms circled his neck as if they belonged there. And her hips nudged against his too perfectly in a way he could not acknowledge. He ruthlessly pushed these thoughts out of his head and placed a gentle kiss on her temple. "Anytime, kid."

Rogue slowly pulled away and with a last sweet smile at Logan, she started back to the school.

Logan watched her until she was out of sight. The breath he had not realized he was holding left his lungs in a great whoosh. Instantly he sucked in air as he replayed their short conversation in his mind. He should be relieved to have the burden of her crush lifted from his shoulders. Instead he felt curiously empty and lost. He stubbornly ignored the feelings again.

He began his own trek back to the school. Suddenly he remembered Marie's words and realized she hadn't told him what it was about today that had forced her to finally admit and then surrender her crush. A blanket of red flooded his vision. _Dammit. Don't let it be the Cajun._


	4. Answers

_A/N - I know it's been ages since I last updated but you have to forgive me. I just got married (yep! I'm hitched!) and have had absolutely NO time with all the planning. But now that I have settled into being an old married couple, I am back to my story and ready for reviews! Please let me know what you think. I'm really trying to up my writing and any feed back (good or bad) would be awesome. Enjoy!_

Disclaimer - the usual, I don't own the x-men...would love to though.

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_Could it have been the Cajun?_

Rogue wondered again for the hundredth time as she grabbed the pillow from beneath her head. She proceeded to smash the abused object over her eyes, blocking the bright sunlight streaming through the windows.

Kitty and Jubilee had lived up to their end of the bargain and provided a wild night of partying for her birthday. Their enthusiasm and non-stop chatter were a welcome distraction from the troubling events of that morning. Unfortunately, their zeal had been highly contagious and Rogue had been swept along by their tide of giggles and youthful excitement… and was currently paying for it in a most obscenely head-pounding, eye exploding way.

_How much did I drink???_ If the lovely cotton sewer taste in her mouth was any indication, A LOT.

After their shopping expedition, the girls had insisted on taking her to a nightclub and everything from there was a bit of a blur. Being in the middle of a crowd was still an intoxicating feeling for her – Rogue wondered if the feeling would ever fade. It had been so many years she lived in fear of other people and not being in control of her power that she felt a thrill of exhilaration whenever she pushed through a group of people. Sometimes she would purposely brush against a person in passing, just for the sudden rush that accompanied the knowledge that she could do such a simple act without the terror that shadowed her in the past.

The tequila shots had only amplified her emotional high. _Dear lord, why would anyone invent such a horrid drink? _Rogue groaned as she groped blindly through her night table drawer in search of Advil. Finding the small pill bottle one-handed while she stubbornly held her pillow to her eyes took a few excrutiating minutes but she was rewarded when her fingertips brushed the smooth plastic surface.

"Oh yes, do your work baby", Rogue muttered and swallowed the pills down eagerly without water. She flopped back down and immediately regretted as the sudden impact of her head against the mattress caused black spots to appear behind her eyelids.

The mini fireworks brought her back to her original thoughts and she replayed the scene in the kitchen again in her mind. What were those strange images? What was that surge of energy that bolted through her body? She didn't want to admit it but she knew the point of origin had started in her fingertips.

Where the Cajun had been touching her.

She shivered despite the warmth of her comforter cocoon. _Could her powers be returning?_ The thought brought on a rush of despair and Rogue gasped from the onslaught. Taking deep breaths, she managed to calm herself down. When she had first taken the cure, she had been in perpetual fear that it would not last and any minute her powers would return and she would be right back where she started. As time passed, the fear had lessened and gradually disappeared. _But now?_She thought back desperately to what this could mean and why it was happening now after so much time?

Rogue had never been one to dwell on things she couldn't change. She had to in order to cope with the magnitude of her powers. Now, she determinedly pushed her fears aside. There was no point worrying about it until she knew for certain what was happening. She would need to find out. And she knew who could help. With a grimace, she swung her legs out of bed and stood up slowly. Squinting still against the sunlight, she headed towards the bathroom for a shower. Though her progress was slow, her tread was firm. Rogue needed answers.

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The Beast had thankfully not probed too much when she requested the blood work done for her. She cited feeling a little ill as the reason but he had not been convinced. There must have been something in her eyes that checked his questions and curiosity. Although Rogue was not ready to discuss what she privately suspected, she was grateful for his sensitivity. He had left her only with the promise to seek him out if there was anything she needed help with.

Breathing a little easier now that she had made the first steps in searching for answers, she decided she needed to work off some steam and headed to the Danger Room. It was probably her favourite place in the Mansion besides the incredibly well-stocked library.

Rogue changed quickly into her work out gear and slipped into the control room. Feeling a little reckless, she decided on one of Wolverine's training sessions. His combat sequences tended to be more about hand to hand fighting than some of the other programs that focused on strategy and attaining a goal. Today though, she needed a brain-less workout that would keep her mind off the possible results from her blood tests.

The swish of the Danger Room doors was the only sound as she stepped through and made her way to the centre of the completely bare room.

"Activate session."

Moments after speaking the command, Rogue stepped back as the room transformed itself. She didn't know what to expect, having picked a program randomly, but past experience made her cautious and she tensed for battle. The white walls faded into a deep night scene and Rogue found herself suspended high above a sparkling body of water. She raised her eyes and scanned her surroundings. At first she didn't recognize the murky green floors and peculiar shape of the platform she stood on.

Then it hit her with the impact of a freigh train – the Statue of Liberty.

Before she had a chance to process the shocking thought, she sensed another presence behind her. A vicious growl was all the warning she got before she instinctively spun to the left and crouched into a defensive stance. From the corner of her eye she caught a blur of movement and she realized she had narrowly missed being charged from behind by her attacker. She watched warily as he swung around and faced her, teeth bared and claws drawn.

It was a face from her nightmares.

Dead black eyes and a hulking mass of muscles ending in deadly three inch claws. Sabretooth.


	5. Nightmare session

A/N: Thanks to everyone for all the encouragement and wonderful feedback! I'm getting so excited about this story and how it can go either ROMY or ROGAN. Love the suspense! Please keep the reviews coming. They totally inspire me and keep me writing!

Disclaimer: Nope, my name is not Marvel Comics. Hence I do not own the X-men.

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"I'm gonna make you scream for me, little girl."

Rogue shuddered with terror at the sharp pressure on her cheek. She strained as far away as she could but the ropes binding her made it impossible to move more than an inch in any direction. Either way, she was paralyzed the minute she looked into his menacing eyes. She inhaled a deep shuddering breath as he leaned in and slowly traced the outline of her face with his finger.

"Are you scared, little girl?" Rogue clenched her teeth with the effort not to make a sound. It was what he wanted and she wouldn't give him the satisfaction. But she couldn't control a violent shiver as Sabertooth continued tracing patterns on her soft skin in an agonizingly slow manner.

"You have beautiful skin, little girl." Rogue squeezed her eyes shut to block out the sight of him following the progress of his finger hungrily. It was the most terrifying thing she had ever experienced and she began to tremble when she felt his exploration move lower. "I wanna see it all ripped up and shredded and bleeding," he breathed disturbingly close to her neck. She felt the pressure increase and a sharp pain as he drew his nail across her collarbone.

Try as she might, she couldn't stop the whimper that whispered past her lips as she felt a trickle of blood trace its own path down her chest. "Oh, I like that sound. I wonder…" he purred.

She sensed rather than saw him shift behind her and she wondered desperately how she could get away. Even as she thought it, she also knew there was no way and she wasn't strong enough to break free or face this beast on her own.

"I wonder what sound you'll make when I do this." She felt the impossibly large paws he had for hands close around her neck. She sucked in a last mouthful of air before tensing for the inevitable. A myriad of thoughts raced through her mind, all colliding and adding to the terror coursing through her veins.

_This is it. This is how it ends._

She had heard stories of people facing death and they described feeling an incredible sense of peace at that moment. A calm resignation for their coming fate. She waited for the sensation to come to her too but instead she was shocked to feel blind rage. Anger so hot and deep and profound that all she could see was white. But not the soothing white that other's had described at near death. This was a pulsing seething white that radiated like a burning fire in her soul. It exploded in her mind and she felt the humiliation of the last few moments like a knife to her gut and nearly howled with the pain.

Blinded by the emotions searing her, she nearly didn't hear the unexpected sharp command that preceded her instantaneous freedom. "Release her!"

Her eyes flew open and she looked up to find a very displeased Magneto standing in the doorway of the boat that was transporting them to their night's destination. She thought she nearly felt relief at the intrusion until his next words.

"She cannot be damaged before the transfer." Immediately she felt the white anger immerse her again. She was a pawn to him and it was clear he did not expect her to survive. She would die anyways, if not now by Sabertooth, then later at Magneto's hands. She burned with shame at her physical weakness and inability to save herself. It was a feeling she would never forget…

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Memories from her captivity by Magneto flashed through Rogue's mind in the time it took to process the snarling monster circling around her. She was seized first with the same feeling of helplessness and terror and nearly crumpled at the fate that surely awaited her. It was only her intense training that propelled her to move without thinking as Sabertooth lunged at her with a vicious swipe of his arm. She leaped to the right and lost her balance, falling hard onto the copper floor. Scrambling frantically to her feet, she raced to the far corner of the platform.

"You can't get away from me, little girl!" The air in her lungs left in a sudden whoosh as she felt a terrible impact between the shoulders. She tumbled to the ground, Sabertooth using his substantial body weight to crush her into the floor with a sickening thud.

Again instinct kicked in and Rogue jammed her elbow hard into the body on top. She took his momentary stunned reaction as the chance to disentangle herself and roll away. Before she could properly get her footing, she was thrown painfully back with a violent kick to her mid-section.

Rogue soared through the air, only slowing down when she hit the metal railing surrounding their makeshift arena. She collapsed on impact and wondered briefly if she had broken any bones. The pain was terrible. It was all she could think about. Her ribs were on fire making it difficult to drag any air in and her head throbbed from being crunched into the hard floor. She blinked as a gash above her eye bled onto her lid.

It made her angry. It made her VERY angry.

She looked at her adversary and through a screen of red – either from the blood dripping onto her lashes or from the anger that suddenly overwhelmed her – she saw one of the tormentors of her dreams. She felt a pulsing in her bones that radiated like an inferno through her skin.

She was mad.

The kind of white hot mad she had felt only once before. Brought on by the same face.

But she wasn't the same little girl.

And suddenly she didn't hurt anymore. There was no pain left in her body.

She sprang up with an inhuman roar and launched herself with animalistic fervor more appropriate in her opponent. She moved with a quickness that surprised even herself and swung her arm with all the strength she possessed. Her fist made a satisfying impact with his nose and she felt bone and cartilage collapse. Keeping her momentum she spun out with a high kick to his neck that sent the beast sprawling backwards. He skidded back a few feet and clutched his throat painfully.

Rogue was seething with power. The power that comes from giving her anger life and allowing it to take over her body. She smiled but it was a frightening look bordering on maniacal. Sabertooth let out a fierce growl in answer and charged swiftly using hands and feet to gain speed.

Rogue watched his charge and waited calmly. At the last second she launched into the air driving her knee up under his chin with incredible power. She continued her onslaught as he stumbled back in a whirl of flying kicks and jabbing punches. She drove him back further and further into the railing she so recently became acquainted with.

Sabertooth found himself bloodied and pinned back with her booted foot to his throat. He clutched the railing with both hands while straining back against her foot. Rogue flashed a look of deep satisfaction and with a quick jerk back, swung her leg gracefully in a high arc. She connected solidly against the side of his head and watched as his body twisted in slow motion, tipping over the railing and plummeting into the churning water below with a sound of finality.

Time seemed to stop at that moment. Freezing the entire scene and searing it into her memory.

Sanity slowly ebbed back into her consciousness. She couldn't believe it. She had beaten Sabertooth. Not just beaten but pummeled him to a bloody pulp. She felt light headed from the sudden high of her triumph. She realized dumbly that her ribs and head still ached. The thought skittered across her mind that Wolverine had removed the safety settings on the program which was why she was allowed to be physically hurt in the session. She didn't mind though. She welcomed the pain. It was part of her success and she soaked it in like a flower in the desert searching for water.

In a trance she noted dimly the swishing sounds of the Danger Room door opening.

"What the hell were you thinking?" She looked up and straight into the accusing eyes of the Wolverine as he advanced on her. She thought she could see the anger emanating from him and wondered briefly if that was how she had looked only moments earlier.

Before she knew what was happening, Wolverine had her by the arms and was roughly shaking her. As if the harder she shook, the better chance he had of knocking the recklessness out.

"I can't believe you're using this program! Do you have any idea what level this is? Do you have any clue how badly you could have been hurt? Do you know what I was going through watching from the Control Room? Do you hear me?!"

This he shouted a mere inch from her face and she was about to point out her perfectly fine hearing when he froze. His attention had been captured by the bloody gash on her head. "What the--" Quick as lightning he dropped her arms and framed her face tenderly, angling it up so he could examine the wound better.

"Jesus."

"It's not as bad as it looks, Lo—" She was cut off as he pushed her away and took stock of the condition of the rest of her body.

Rogue waited in uneasy silence as he scanned her up and down. She could swear she felt every single place he examined and fought the urge to cover herself.

"Look Logan, when ah started the program, ah didn't know 'bout the safeties or even the content. Ah just sorta—" She was cut off abruptly when he pinned her with a furious look.

"What is wrong with you? You know better than to start a program without checking it out first!" Logan was steaming. He had headed for the Danger Room hoping for an early morning workout and just about had a heart attack when he saw Rogue in the room running this particular program. His heart in his throat, he recognized the session as one he had created following Jean's death.

He had been half-crazed and in need of a punching bag to release the grief threatening to overwhelm him. He created the session to be a no-holds-bar-all-or-nothing fight that gave him the freedom to be as bad and nasty as he wanted to be – and he had chosen the opponent to match.

Watching Rogue being tossed around like a rag doll in the first few minutes had driven him insane and he pounded on the control panel, trying to stop the session. Unfortunately, when he had written the program, he had also disabled the external 'kill' switch so it could only be terminated from within the Danger Room. This had allowed him to fight the most excruciatingly demanding routines with no interference from well meaning observers.

But it was never intended for anyone but him and watching Rogue struggle against one of his own demons while he stood helplessly aside had torn him apart.

When she collapsed by the railing he had cried out and had shifted to the far corner of the room, ready to launch through the safety glass of the Control Room and rescue her from further attack. Just as he prepared to charge, he was stopped short by the sound of a chilling primal roar. From Rogue.

He stood rooted to the spot as she sprang to life. He had never seen her like this. Not even during their many training sessions when he thought he had pushed her to her limits.

She was fury personified and he had never seen anything so frightening. Or beautiful.

She moved with a deadly grace that cut through the air like a razor. He watched entranced as she drew back to strike again and again. She used her fists, elbows, and the precise hard edge of her hand to deliver one lethal blow after another. Then she launched a second tier attack and he was amazed as she leapt up and began delivering kicks that threw her adversary off balance and drove him further back till he had no where left to retreat.

It was a savage and relentless attack and Logan realized his fists were clenched and he was reacting to each strike, each movement she made. His body was coated with a fine sheen of sweat and his breathing had sharpened as if it was he who was fighting. When the final fatal kick was delivered he nearly collapsed in relief that the experience was over. Then he stalked to the Danger Room entrance, his only thought to strangle her for being so damn stupid and putting him through such an ordeal.

Now standing before her, he was torn between continuing to shake her till she rattled and pulling her into his arms and crushing her to his chest. In the end it was the gentle touch of her hands grasping his own arms that stopped him from doing anything.

"Logan, Ah'm okay. Ah'm alright. Look at meh." Her fingers moved up to cup his face and forced him to meet her imploring eyes. They crinkled at the corners when she stated simply and with a good deal of pride, "Ah beat 'im."

Logan realized in that moment this wasn't his Rogue. This wasn't his Marie. This was a wholly new creature who exuded a calm confidence and fought with a fury he hadn't thought she could possess.

"What's gotten into you?" he asked quietly, searching her green eyes as if they held the answers. "This isn't you."

Slowly but resolutely Rogue pulled away from his hold and took a step back. Her actions alarmed him more than anything she could have said. That is until she spoke.

"This is meh. You just don't know it yet."


	6. Different

A/N: Are you liking this story? Am I doing it justice? Please let me know by putting in Reviews. It's so hard to get excited about a story when you're unsure if anyone else is enjoying. Thank you!

Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own the X-Men!

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The pulsing shower head beat a stinging rhythm against the cut over her eye. She could have moved but for some reason, she welcomed the small pain. It was a reminder of her earlier triumph. She was still a little shocked herself at the outcome. The entire episode had seemed so surreal that Rogue almost doubted it had happened. But then she moved and her aching ribs bore mute testimony to the event.

She was also still uneasy from her encounter with Wolverine. She had known the minute she spoke the words, the truth of them. The heavy silence following her statement had been unbearable. Full of unspoken questions. Yet she was not ready – or not qualified – to answer. She had left the room without another word and headed straight for the showers. She wondered if sub-consciously she was hoping to wash away some of the guilt she felt from brushing off Logan's concern. She hadn't provided any substantial explanation and if she was honest with herself, she would have been alarmed by her uncharacteristic actions too.

There WAS something different about her. She could not pinpoint exactly what it was but she had an unsettling suspicion it had started from her meeting with Gambit. It was almost as if something had been holding her back from being complete all these years. With the 'cure' she may have gained a significant degree of freedom but there was always something there, some invisible boundary she had never dared to cross. Now for the first time in her life she felt confident enough to rip free and test these limitations. She felt exhilarated with this newfound sense of self. She had never felt as alive as when she had when she made contact with the strange newcomer.

Thoughts of Gambit flickered through her mind and she focused the emotions he had brought to the surface. She shivered at the memory of the images she had seen.

_Gambit._

There was something about him that drew her. A darkness totally compelling yet mysterious. She wasn't sure if it stemmed from the electric bolt they had shared or if it was something altogether different but she couldn't deny he had touched her beyond their physical contact.

It was so odd to be thinking about someone other than Logan this way. Rogue smirked to herself. _I guess this is all part of my growing up. _She felt a slight butterfly feeling in her stomach and nearly laughed aloud. _This is going to take some getting used to. _

She thought about the way he had towered over her. It hadn't been intimidating in the way some men purposely intend. She had felt quite feminine and dainty in comparison and she couldn't deny it had provoked an instinctive attraction. His shoulders had seemed impossibly broad and his entire physique had screamed of controlled power. But it was his eyes that had captured her. They had been intense. And the way he had gazed into her own eyes had felt like he was searching for something deeper … and had found it.

Rogue pulled on a pair of faded blue jeans that hung low on her curvy hips. The ensemble was finished with a light grey pullover. She wondered briefly how her next meeting with Gambit would turn out. The first two run-ins had already made quite the impression and she was anxious to find out if it was one-sided.

Turning to the mirror, Rogue contemplated her hair. It was still damp but she wasn't in the mood for the acrobatics it would take to blow-dry it into presentable condition. Deciding to pull it into a loose pony tail, she pulled a few strands out to cover the cut on her forehead and started for the door.

_Holy sh-!_

An involuntary hiss filled the locker room as she gently cradled her mid-section. She had been moving gingerly up to that point in deference to the bruised area. She grimaced painfully. _First stop is definitely Dr. McCoy. Lord help me if I really did break some bones. Logan will have a fit!_

A little disoriented by the pain, she made her way through the hall in a daze but came to an abrupt halt by a blinding flash. She blinked rapidly as she relived images of a steel laboratory more suited to a Frankenstein movie. She was struggling painfully against immovable restraints and she was howling at the agony of being pinned and vulnerable… and hot. So hot. Unbearable heat swallowed her from head to toe. Rogue struggled to gain control of Wolverine's memories and to focus over the heat crashing through her. The combination of the physical and mental struggle caused her knees to collapse and she sank to the ground, clutching her head desperately with both hands.

Just as Rogue knew she was going to lose consciousness, she heard a surprised shout from somewhere down the hall. It was followed almost immediately by a firm but cautious grip on her shoulder. She felt fingers lightly stroke her cheek before he spoke. "What's wrong, chere? What can Remy do to 'elp?"

Before she could answer, Rogue felt strong arms sweep her up against a hard chest. He stood easily, even with her added weight, and cradled her protectively to his bigger frame. "Hang on, chere. Remy'll get you help."

With the last of her energy, Rogue pried her eyes open. They instantly connected with Remy's and she felt her heart stop despite herself. They stood frozen for a moment before she lost her remaining strength and with it, her consciousness. She slumped heavily into his arms.

"Rogue!"


End file.
